Datte:
Your Name:
HUBBBARD B
BROOK R
RESEARRCH FOUNDATION ENVIRONNMENTALL LITERAACY PROOGRAM Suggested
d Answer Guid
de
Gra
ade 8
Sccience Inquiry
I
Task
Trend
ds in Bird
B Abu
undancce
ut from Geoff Wilson (HBRF) and
d Jackie Wilson (HBRF).
(
All data was provided byy Dr. Richard T. Holmes through
Prepared by S. Turtle (HBRF) with inpu
ng from the Natio
onal Science Foundation. Templa
ate created by K. Murray (LHS).
fundin
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock NECAP Science Inquiry Task- Grade 8
Directions:
You will be completing an extended-response inquiry task called Trends in Bird Abundance. Explain
the reasons for all your answers. You may include a drawing or labeled diagram to help explain your
answers.
There are 3 parts to the task.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Forming a
prediction
Organizing,
Presenting, and
Analyzing Data
Using Evidence
and Applying What
you Learned
Word Bank
Bird Abundance
Species
Population
Survey
Transect line
Replicated study
A measure of the total number of birds.
A group of organisms that can interbreed.
Individuals of a species that share the same place at the same time.
A gathering of a sample of data.
A line set up in study area along which samples are collected.
The repetition of a study to increase the significance or precision of
results.
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© Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, 2011
www.hubbardbrookfoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock NECAP Science Inquiry Task- Grade 8
Trends in Bird Abundance
The White Mountain Middle School is located right next to the White Mountain National Forest. Students
started a Bird Club six years ago, with the help of their science teacher. Once a week students meet before
school to walk around the school property and identify birds. They keep track of what type of species they see
and how many they see.
One morning Susan, the club president, brought the following article to share with the other members.
Bird News
September 27, 2010
Birds are Declining Across the United States
Bird researchers are learning that bird populations are declining all over the United States of America.
Scientists have learned this from information sent in through science programs where people keep track of the
birds along roadsides and at their feeders and send their information to scientists. People have been collecting
information at their bird feeders for 20 years and sending it to scientists at the Bird Lab where the information
has been analyzed. The results of these observations show that there has been a noticeable decline in the
number of birds over the past 20 years. Although 20 years may seem like a long time to conduct a study
scientists said the abundance or number of birds in a population can change a lot from year to year naturally.
To observe any long term changes in bird population size scientists need long term data. It is therefore
necessary to study bird abundance for many years.
The students are very concerned about the information presented above. Does this mean the birds in their
area are declining as well? Students in the Bird Club want to know if bird populations are declining in their
town. They decide to examine the data they have been collecting.
Part 1. Forming a Prediction
1. Based on the information in the article, write a prediction about how the abundance of birds might be
changing in their town. Use information from the news article to explain your prediction.
Broad Area of Inquiry: Formulating Questions and Hypothesizing
Inquiry Construct 1 (DOK 3): Analyze information from observations, research, or experimental data for the
purpose of formulating a question, hypothesis, or prediction.
Student’s prediction need not be correct but should be reasonable based on the information provided in the
article.
Example answer: If birds are declining all over the United States I predict that bird abundance is declining in
the town.
3
© Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, 2011
www.hubbardbrookfoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock NECAP Science Inquiry Task- Grade 8
Part 2. Organizing, Presenting and Analyzing Data
The Bird Club has been gathering data on the school property for 6 years.
First they organize the data into the table below.
Table 1: Total Number of birds observed each year by the bird club.
Year
Total Number of Birds
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
155
157
170
155
165
155
2. Organize the data from Table 1 on the graph below to show changes in total bird abundance.
Broad Area of Inquiry: Conducting Investigations
Inquiry Construct 8 (DOK 2): Use accepted methods for organizing, representing, and manipulating data
Students should represent data accurately in an appropriate graph. Bar graph or line graph work well to show
counts. They should include a graph title and axes labels. Labels should be clear and use scientific
terminology. Axes should have appropriate scales.
4
© Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, 2011
www.hubbardbrookfoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock NECAP Science Inquiry Task- Grade 8
3. Do the data presented in the Bird Club’s graph support your prediction from Question 1? Explain why or
why not.
Broad Area of Inquiry: Developing and Evaluating Explanations
Inquiry Construct 12 (DOK 3): Use evidence to support and justify interpretations and conclusions or explain
how the evidence refutes the hypothesis.
Students need to use evidence from the graph to support or refute the prediction from question 1. Their
response needs to show an understanding of the observed trend.
Example answer: The total number for birds counted changes from year to year but does not show a declining
trend from 2005 – 2011. The total number of birds counted is 155 in 2005. It increases to 170 in 2007,
decreased to 155 in 2008, increases again to 165 in 2009, and then decreases back to 155. The data do not
support the prediction.
4. Use what you learned from the news article to answer the following question. What data can the students
collect or continue to collect to help them learn more about the abundance of birds at their school? Why?
Broad Area of Inquiry: Planning and Critiquing of Investigations
Inquiry Construct 4 (DOK 2): Identify information/evidence that needs to be collected in order to answer the
question, hypothesis, prediction.
Response explains the need for long term data sets to answer questions about population trends. Show a
general understanding of what needs to be collected to show a pattern of change over time.
Example answer: Students need to collect data for many years to learn if there is a declining trend because
bird abundance can change a lot from year to year.
5
© Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, 2011
www.hubbardbrookfoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock NECAP Science Inquiry Task- Grade 8
They decided to search the internet for more information on changes in bird abundance in the White Mountain
National Forest.
Students found that scientist Dr. Richard Holmes had the same interest in New Hampshire birds. To learn
about bird population size in the White Mountain National Forest, he started surveying the birds at a place
called the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. This study site is located within the White Mountain National
Forest.
• Goal of Dr. Richard Holmes’ study: Observe changes in bird abundance in the White Mountain National
Forest over a long period of time to detect any patterns.
• Site Description: The forest study site is located in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, which is part
of the White Mountain National Forest. It is an undisturbed site so there are no roads or buildings in it.
• Methods: Birds were counted weekly every year between late May through early July. Observers would
walk along transect lines counting every bird they saw or heard. This study was started in 1969 and is still
continuing.
The information from Richard Holmes’ study is presented on the following graph.
6
© Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, 2011
www.hubbardbrookfoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock NECAP Science Inquiry Task- Grade 8
5. Although bird abundance can change a lot from year to year, what conclusion can you make about the
overall changes in bird abundance at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest from 1969 - 2010? Use the
data shown in Graph 1 to answer this question.
Broad Area of Inquiry 3: Conducting Investigations
Inquiry Construct 10 (DOK 2): Summarize results based on data.
Students need to provide a general explanation of the trend shown in the graph. In their response they refer to
the data in the graph to explain the observed trend.
Example answer: Bird abundance changes a lot from year to year from 1969 – 2010 but there is large decline
from just over 200 birds in 1971 to under 100 birds in 1984. From 1984 – 2010 the bird abundance stays near
100. There is an overall decline in bird abundance from 1969 – 2010.
6. After looking at the graph, the Bird Club members wonder if the results of this study represent the whole
White Mountain National Forest or only the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. Can scientists use the data
from this study to make conclusions about the whole White Mountain National Forest? Why or why not? If not,
what data might they need?
Broad Area of Inquiry 2: Planning and Critiquing of Investigations
Inquiry Construct 6 (DOK 2): Provide reasoning for appropriateness of materials, tools, procedures, and
scale used in the investigation
Students need to demonstrate an understanding of the need for replication in scientific experiments to make
broad conclusions. Their response needs to show a general understanding of why the conclusion is limited.
Example answer: Scientists can not use the data from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest to make
conclusions about the whole White Mountain National Forest because their study only examined one site in the
forest. Scientists need to conduct replicate surveys in other parts of the White Mountain National Forest to
learn about bird abundance in the whole forest.
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© Hubbard Brook Research Foundation, 2011
www.hubbardbrookfoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock
k NECAP Science Inquiry Tassk- Grade 8
Partt 3. Using Ev
vidence and
d Applying What You Have
H
Learned.
The students search the Wh
hite Mountain
n Nation Forrest website to see if the
ere was more information on bird
abun
ndance in other parts of the White Mountain
M
Nattional Forestt. They learn
ned that Rich
hard Holmess replicated
his study
s
at three
e other sites
s within the White
W
Mounttain National Forest from
m 1986 to 20
000. These sites
s
are
calle
ed Stinson Mountain,
M
Mt. Moosilauke
e, and Russe
ell Pond. Th
he results fro
om the three sites are sh
hown in the
grap
ph below.
The information from Richarrd Holmes’ study
s
is presented on the
e following graph.
g
8
© Hub
bbard Brook Research
R
Found
dation, 2011
www..hubbardbrookffoundation.org
Suggested Answer Guide for Mock
k NECAP Science Inquiry Tassk- Grade 8
7. Usse the data shown
s
in Grraph 2 to ansswer the following questtion. What co
onclusions can
c you makke about the
e
trend
d in the total number of birds
b
in the White
W
Mountain Nationa
al Forest from
m these thre
ee new sites.. Is the trend
d
simillar to the one
e observed at
a Hubbard Brook site over
o
the sam
me time perio
od?
Broa
ad Area of Inquiry
I
3: Conducting
C
In
nvestigationss
Inqu
uiry Constru
uct 8 (DOK 2): Use acce
epted metho
ods for organ
nizing, repre
esenting, and
d manipulatiing data.
Stud
dents use da
ata from the graph
g
to ma
ake reasonab
ble conclusio
ons, showing
g an undersstanding of how
h
to
interrpret the info
ormation. Th
hey support their conclussions with evidence pressented in the
e graph.
Exam
mple answe
er: Total num
mber of birdss increases at all three sites
s
in the first
fi years off the study, decreases
d
from
m 1990 to 199
97, and then
n starts to inccrease again
n in 1998. Bird
B abundan
nce changess a lot and in similar
wayss at all three
e sites during
g this study. The change
es seem sim
milar to the ch
hanges for th
he same tim
me period at
Hubb
bard Brook. There is no clear increa
asing or decrreasing overrall trend at any site. Th
he study peri
riod does nott
cove
er as long a period
p
of tim
me as the Hu
ubbard Brookk data.
he Bird Club
b members want
w
to desig
gn a study th
hat will enab
ble them to collect
c
data and
a make co
onclusions
8. Th
abou
ut how bird abundance
a
changes
c
in their town an
nd not just th
heir schoolya
ard. What advice can yo
ou give them
m
to he
elp design th
his study? Th
hink about th
he methods presented in
n this test.
Broa
ad Area of Inquiry
I
2: Planning
P
and
d Critiquing of
o Investigatiions
Inqu
uiry Constru
uct 5 (DOK 3): Develop an organize
ed and logica
al approach to investiga
ating the que
estion,
inclu
uding controllling variable
es.
Resp
ponse includ
des only rele
evant study design
d
featu
ures including
g length of study
s
(long te
erm study) and
a
repliicates. Resp
ponse is writtten with scie
entific termin
nology.
Exam
mple answe
er: I would advise
a
them to design a long term sttudy because bird abund
dance can change a lot
from
m year to yea
ar. Trends ca
an only be se
een if they have
h
many years
y
of data
a. To make conclusions
c
about bird
abun
ndance in their town they
y should con
nduct bird co
ounts at morre than 1 site
e.
9
© Hub
bbard Brook Research
R
Found
dation, 2011
www..hubbardbrookffoundation.org